The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)/Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has a permitting system to ensure that pests and diseases are kept away from domestic crops and animals.

As you are preparing to submit your application in ePermit, please ensure that you communicate with your Biosafety Officer (biosafe@emory.edu). Discussing your proposed work with the BSO will allow you to make any needed amendments to your biological registration in BioRAFT and avoid further delays.

A list of FAQs was posted by USDA/APHIS in January 2017: www.aphis.usda.gov/permits/downloads/ePermits_FAQs.pdf

Please see below list of items requiring permits:

What are you IMPORTING into the United States?

• Food and Agricultural Products (Factsheet)
  This factsheet is available in Amharic, Arabic, Burmese, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Lao, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Vietnamese. Click to read more.
• Animal or Animal Product
  • State Regulations and Import Requirements
• Organism and Vectors
• Organism and Soil
• Plants or Plant Products
  • View Electronic Manuals
    This web site contains an alphabetized list of Plant Protection and Quarantine manuals in electronic format.
• Veterinary Service Forms
• Biotechnology Import and Export Information
  APHIS’ Biotechnology Regulatory Services (BRS) requires a permit or notification for the import of certain genetically engineered organisms.

Source: www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/importexport

CDC Import Permit Program

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Import Permit Program regulates the importation of infectious biological agents, infectious substances, and vectors of human disease into the United States.

Below are some useful links and contacts:

Application for Permit to Import or Transport Etiologic Agents Hosts or Vectors of Human Disease form:
Guidance: Import Permit Applications webpage.
Request to Import Biological Agents or Vectors of Human Disease: www.cdc.gov/phpr/ipp/applications/agents.htm

On August 22, 2017, the CDC updated the FAQs, including application questions, general questions related to who needs to apply for a permit, inspection questions, transport, and live bat samples.

Emory University Biosafety Officer contact: biosafe@emory.edu

CDC Import Permit Program contact: importpermit@cdc.gov